Interlocking control means for the stop-motions of multi-spindle machines



R. G. HILBERT 2,714,491

-MOTIONS Aug. 2, 1955 INTERLOCKING CONTROL MEANS FOR THE STOP OF MULTI-SPINDLE MACHINES Filed Sept. 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 2, 1955 R. G. HILBERT 2,714,491

INTERLOCKING CONTROL MEANS FOR THE STOP-MOTIONS. OF MULTI-SPINDLE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1953 Aug. 2, 1955 R. G. HILBERT 2,714,4 1 INTERLOCKING CONTROL MEANS FOR THE STOP-MOTIONS OF MULTI-SPINDLE MACHINES Filed Sept. 4, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 2, 1955 G HILBERT 2 714,491

R. INTERLOCKING CONTROL MEANS FOR THE STOP-MOTIONS OF MULTI-SPINDLE MACHINES Filed Sept. 4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [12 1721? i 01" Ric]: ard Gflzlz'lb e11 INTERLOCKING CONTRUL MEANS FOR THE STGP-MOTHQNS 0F MULTl-SPiiNDLE MA- CHENES Richard G. Hilbert, Smithfield, R. L, assignor to Universal Winding Company, Boston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 4, 1%3, Serial No. 378,620 20 Claims. (Cl. 242-37) This invention relates to multi-unit textile machines, such for example as uptwister frames, and consists in improvements in the stopping mechanism therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide means for preventing actuation of the stop-motions at the several units due to a slack condition in the yarns upon restarting the machine after a power failure.

Another object is to provide means for preventing the breakage-levers from initiating the operation of the stop- .otions at the several units upon restarting the machine after a power failure to avoid premature stopping of the units when power is again applied thereto.

Another object is to provide for a time interval for taking up the slack in the multiple strands of yarn that control the individual stop motions when the machine is first started so that all the units will start to operate simultaneously without attention thereto by the operator.

Another object is to provide automatically-operated means for disconnecting the drive to the actuating means for the stop-motions when the operation of the machine is arrested due to power failure.

Another object is to provide manually-operative means for reconnecting the drive to the stop-motion actuatingmeans when the several units are restarted after a power failure.

Another object is to provide electrical means normally energized from the driving motor-circuit for controlling the drive to the actuating means for the stop-motions.

Another object is to provide means for disconnecting the drive to the stop-motion actuating means upon current failure in the driving motor circuit.

Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the invention, by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a portion of an uptwister frame showing two only of the multiple units for winding bobbins or spools from yarn or thread twisted from supply strands and illustrating the present invention as applied to use therewith;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the drive for the stoprnotion actuating means at one end of the frame showing the drive connected and illustrating the present improved means for disconnecting the drive;

Fig. 3 is a similar View looking in the opposite direction and illustrating the drive to the actuating means disconnected by the control-means of the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the gear-casing shown in section.

Twister frames and like textile machines are usually constructed with multiple units spaced along a horizontal framework with a large number of the units mounted on each side of the frame. The strands of yarn or thread may be supplied from a bank of spools on vertical spindles arranged below on the frame with the strands feeding upwardly to wind-up means such as bobbins, spools, or the thee .l atented like rotated by cork-rolls or driving drums to wind the yarn or thread thereon. Each of the multiple units is controlled by a stop-motion operating when a strand breaks or its supply is exhausted to raise the bobbin or spool off from the driving drum to arrest the winding. The stop-motion of each unit is controlled by a breakagelever, so-called, which is released upon breakage or exhaustion of the strand feeding thereacross and upon its release means are set in motion to raise the bobbin or spool or? from its driving drum to discontinue the winding at that particular unit. The driving drums are rotated in unison by a common drive-shaft extending the length of the frame with suitable gearing for driving said shaft from an electrical motor or other power-operated means. Upon power failure, for example when the current to the motor is interrupted, or in other more usual occasions when the current is switched off each night at the end of a days run, it becomes necessary to attend each individual unit before restarting the operation of the whole machine. In such case, the operator or attendant must pass along the whole length of the machine at each side thereof to reset the stop-motions at all of the several units. Usually, when the operation of the machine is arrested with the bobbins or spools remaining on the driving drum, as they come to rest the yarn strands will become slack to release the breakage-levers and consequently when the machine is coasting to a stop or is being restarted the breakage-levers will still cause operation of the knock-off means to prevent the winding on of the yarns.

it has been the experience in the past with machines of the present type that considerable time and effort are required for restarting all the multiple units of the machine individually after their operation has been arrested by power failure or the shutting down of the complete machine. To avoid this economical loss in the operation of machines of the present type it is the object of the present invention to provide means to ensure simultaneous starting of all the multiple units by preventing the action of the stop-motions until the slack in the strands feeding to the bobbins or spools has been taken up to render the breakage-levers inoperative. Thereafter, as soon as the units are operating properly with the breakagelevers restored to normal relationship by the yarns, the knock-off means for the stop-motions is connected to the drive by a single manual operation, i. e., the throwing of a hand-lever by the attendant. By use of the present improved control-means the multiple units of the complete machine can be started to operate in unison without failure caused by the release of their breakage-levers providing the strands of yarn are intact and their supply continuous. Then as the machine continues to operate the difierent units require attention only when a strand breaks or its supply is exhausted.

To provide for the improved method of controlling the operation of multiple-unit machines of the present type the control-means for the stop-motions may include an device such as an electromagnct or solenoid with the current supplied from the circuit to the driving motor of the machine.

Referring to the present drawings, the uptwister frame herein illustrated generally of conventional construction embodying a plurality of wind-up units 2, two of which are illustrated in Fig. 1, spaced apart along a framework 3 supported from end heads not herein shown in detail; it being understood that a large number of the units are usually mounted on each side of the frame of the machine and driven from gearing or other transmission mechanism at the head end of the machine. A horizontal drive-shaft 5 suitably journaled in bearings along the frame of the machine is employed for rotating the driving drums 6 spaced therealong in cooperative relation The wind-up units may to the numerous wind-up units.

be of a construction such as shown in the pending application for United States Patent Serial No. 320,065, filed November 12, 1952, which relates more particularly to the stop-motions for the present type of machine. Fig. l of the present drawings illustrates the essential elements of the machine which comprise a horizontal drive-shaft carrying cork-rolls or drums 6 for driving the spools or bobbins supported on suitable spindles not herein shown but illustrated in the pending application referred to above. The bobbins are wound on tubes C mounted on mandrels or cop-holders, so called, also shown in detail in the before-mentioned pending application with their spindles supported by hangers, indicated generally at 7 in Fig. l, which are hinged at their inner ends on shafts 8 to adapt the bobbins to be raised off from the driving drums 6 in the usual manner when actuated by the stop motion knock-ofi means, all as set forth more particularly in the above-identified pending application.

The yarn strands y are supplied from spools S on twister-spindles iii carried by horizontal rails (not shown) below and at the front of the machine with the strands leading up through pigtail guides 11 thereabove and thence through slots in traverse-guides 14 which are reciprocated longitudinally of the bobbin-tubes C to distribute the yarn thereon; this being a usual arrangement in machines of the present type. A wire breakage-lever 15 is pivotally mounted at each unit of the machine to adapt the strand y to draw thereacross for maintaining it depressed in the relationship shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the breakage-lever 15 is secured to a pivotal rod or shaft 18 and counterbalanced by a weight 19 on its rearwardly-extending arm 20 to cause its forward arm to swing upwardly when the yarn breaks or its supply is exhausted. Fast on the rod or shaft 18 is a depending pawl which has a hook at its end normally maintained free from engagement with a pointed lug 26 on a rocker-element 27 fast on a rock-shaft 30. When the breakage-lever 15 is released by breakage or exhaustion of the supply-strand feeding thereacross it will swing upwardly to rock the shaft 18 and thereby pivot the pawl 25 forwardly to adapt the hook at its end to be engaged by the lug 26 on the rocker-element 27. The shaft 18 is mounted in bearings on an arm 33 extended rearwardly from the bobbin-hanger 7 that is pivoted on the horizontal shaft 8, previously described, and thus the engagement of the pawl 25 by the rocker-element 27 will cause the latter to pull down on the pawl to swing the hanger 7 upwardly and thereby raise the winding bobbin off from the periphery of the driving drum 6; all as more fully described in the pending application referred to above. In this way the drive to the bobbin or spool is arrested immediately the strand breaks or its supply runs out. 7

It will be understood that when the bobbin-hanger 7 is lifted to remove the bobbin or spool from contact with the driving drum 6 upon breakage of the yarn or exhaustion of its supply, the hanger is locked in its upper position by detent-means, such means being shown and described in the application for patent hereinbefore referred to. It therefore becomes necessary for the attendant to release the detent-means to restore the bobbin or spool into driving contact with the driving drum after the break in the yarn has been repaired or a new supply furnished and pieced up. However, it also will be understood that when the operation of the entire machine is arrested due to power failure the several bobbins or spools are not raised off from their driving drums but remain in driving contact therewith, the stopping of the machine being the result of loss of power to the drive and not due to failure of the strands to feed to the winding bobbins or spools.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the rock-shaft is oscillated by an arm 35 connected by a link 36 to a crank 3'7 on a shaft 38 which is rotated by a gear 40 on said shaft 38. The gear 40 normally furnishes the motive force for oscillating the rocker-element 27 as the gear is driven from the main driving mechanism of the machine in the manner later explained. The gear 40 is normally driven from the continuously rotated drum-shaft 5 through the intermediary of a pinion-gear which is movable into and out of mesh with the teeth on the gear 40. The intermediate gear 45 is journaled on a stub-shaft 46 with its teeth in mesh with a gear 47 fast on the continuously rotated drum-shaft 5. The stub-shaft 46 mounting the pinion-gear is carried by an arm 4h which is rockable about the shaft 5 and provided with a handle 50 for manually operating it to carry the gear 45 into mesh with the larger gear 49.

The arm 49 serves as the means for disengaging the intermediate gear 45 from the gear 49 to disconnect the drive to the rock-shaft 39, said arm being connected to automatically-operated control-means previously referred to. The control-means for rocking the arm 49 may comprise a rod or link 52 connected to a pin 53 in the arm engaging through a slot 54 in said rod or link. The rod or link 52 is actuated by a solenoid 55 mounted in a casing 56 supported by a bracket 57 fastened to the frame standard 58 at the tail end of the machine, the solenoid normally being energized by current from the circuit to the driving motor of the machine. The lower end of the link 52 is connected to a pin 59 in the head of an armature 60 slidable in the solenoid 55, the pin 59 being held in bifurcations 61 of the head as shown in Fig. 4. An upright bracket 62 formed with a vertical slot 63 through which the headed end of the pin 59 engages serves to guide the sliding movement of the armature 6% A helical spring 65 hooked to one end of the pin 59 in the armature 6% has its upper end anchored at 66 to an overhanging portion 64 of the casing 56.

The slot 54 at the top of the link 52 is enlarged at its upper end to adapt the head of the pin 53 to be inserted therethrough for connecting the link 52 to the arm &9 or to be Withdrawn for disconnecting it therefrom. The lower end of the slot 54 is formed on its side with an offset detent-notch 79 with which the pin 53 engages when the arm 49 is rocked clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, for carrying the intermediate gear into mesh with the crank-ac tuating gear 48 as shown in Fig. 4.

The method of operation of the present invention is explained as follows: During the normal operation of the machine the cork-rolls or driving drums 6 are rotated continuously by the drive-shaft 5 with the bobbins or spools in peripheral contact with the drums to wind the strands of yarn or thread on the cores C, or the barrels of the spools when such are used. The stop-motions at the several units are maintained inactive with the breakage-levers 15 held in depressed relationship by the yarn strands y feeding thereacross during the winding operation. When a strand breaks or its supply runs out at a particular unit the stop-motion is actuated by the raising of the breakage-lever in the manner as usually provided in machines of the present type and the bobbin or spool is thus lifted off from its driving drum to arrest the winding at that particular unit. Each stop-motion is actuated through the engagement of the hooked pawl 25 with the oscillating rocker-element 2'7 to raise the bobbin-hanger 7 and lift the bobbin or spool oil from the driving drum 6 in the manner as previously indicated and explained more fully in the pending application hereinbefore referred to.

When the operation of the whole machine is arrested at the end of a days run by opening the starting switch in the circuit to the electric driving motor, and also whenever the machine stops due to power failure as, for example accidental interruption of the electrical current to the motor, the rotation of the drum-shaft 5 will be arrested and the several units will come to rest with the bobbins or spools resting on their respective drums. How ever, as the units come to rest the strands of yarn or thread feeding thereto will become slack so that in ordinary circumstances the breakage-levers are released while the units are coasting to a stop so that if the machine is restarted the breakage-levers will still be operative to set the stop-motions into action for stopping the winding at all of the several units. To prevent this undesirable condition in the machine the present invention provides controlmeans for disconnecting the drive to the single actuating means for the several stop-motions so that the bobbins and spools will not be lifted off from the driving drums when the machine is first started after a power failure or a shutdown. The present control-means for effecting such disconnection of the drive to the knock-off means, i. e., the oscillating rocker-element 27, consists in the solenoid 55 linked to the arm 49 and normally acting to maintain the intermediate pinion-gear in mesh with the gear 44) for actuating the crank-motion that oscillates the rockerelement.

When the machine is operating normally the solenoid is energized by current from the circuit to the driving motor of the machine and consequently the armature 6i isheld down by the solenoid with the link 52 drawn downwardly as shown in Fig. 2. At this juncture the pin 53 is engaged in the detent-notch in the side of the slot 54 of the link 52 and held against release due to vibration of the machine. The arm 49 will thus be held in the position shown in Fig. 2 to maintain the intermediate gear 45 in mesh with the teeth on the larger gear 40. With the parts in this relationship the gear 40 will be driven from the drumshaft 5 to cause the crank 37 to continuously oscillate the rock-shaft 3i] and thereby the rockerelement 27 so as to actuate the stop-motion at any particular unit should a yarn strand break or its supply become exhausted.

When, however, the operation of the whole machine is arrested, either by switching off the current to the driving motor or due to power failure such as interruption of the current to the motor, the solenoid 55 will be immediately de-energized to cause it to release the armature 6d. Thereupon, the spring 55, which is normally under tension when the armature 60 is held down by the solenoid, will draw the pin 59 upwardly to raise the armature 60 and move the link 52 upwardly. The pin 53 being at the bottom of the slot 54 in the link 52 thus will be moved by the link to rock the arm 49 in contraclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, to disengage the intermediate gear 2 5 from the crank-motion gear 40 and thereby discontinue the oscillation of the rocker-element 27. During the pivoting of the arm 49 as above explained the pin 53 will move in an arc to disengage it from the detcnt-notch 7i). Thereafter, the arm 49 will continue its pivoting due to the weight of the hand-lever as it rocks across center and the pin 53 will slide upwardly in the slot 54 to a slight extent as indicated in Fig. 3. The lever 50 then brings up against the end of the curved rim 72 of the gear-casing 75 which acts as a stop therefor. After this automatic operation of the control-means the multi-unit machine may be started without causing operation of the stop-motions of any of the units due to slackness in the strands feeding thereto. When the driving drums are first started to rotate they will pick up speed gradually and eventually the bobbins or spools will be driven therefrom at the required speed to draw the strands of yarn or thread taut and take up the slack therein so that the breakage-levers 15 will be rocked downwardly to restrain them from acting until a strand breaks or its supply is exhausted.

For starting the operation of the machine the operator may close the switch at the head end of the machine to energize the motor for applying power to the driving connections for rotating the drum-shaft 5 and driving certain other adjuncts of the machine such as the pulleys for operating the belts that rotate the twisterspindles. After the switch has been closed the machine attendant will walk along the whole length of the frame to reach the tail end of the machine where the control-means is located. By the time this end of the machine is reached by the attendant the wind-up mechanism of all the units will have been brought up to speed to take up the slack in the strands and the device may then be operated to throw in the stop-motion knock-01f devices. This is accomplished by manual manipulation of the hand-lever 50 which is rocked to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 to pivot the arm 49 and carry the intermediate gear 45 into mesh with the crank-motion gear 40. During this operation the pin 53 on the arm 49 is engaged with the detentnotch 79 at the lower end of the slot 54 in the link 52 to retain the parts in the relationship shown in Fig. 2, it being understood that at this juncture the solenoid has been energized with the starting of the driving motor and the link 52 will be drawn down to the position shown in Fig. 2. The drum-shaft 5 will then be connected to the gear 40 to actuate its crank-motion for rocking the shaft 3% to oscillate the rocker-element 27. The machine will thus be restored to its original condition for continuing winding on the strands of yarn or thread at the multiple units with the stop-motions set for action at each individual unit when a strand breaks or its supply runs out.

It will be observed from the foregoing description and the explanation of the method of operation of the present interlocking device that the control-device acts automatically to prevent stopping the units of a multi-unit machine due to slack condition in the yarns. The invention also provides for manual resetting of the interlocking means for the stop-motions upon restarting the machine after a power failure while allowing a time interval after the start of the winding-on means to take up the slack in the strands and prevent premature stopping of the units.

While the improved device is herein illustrated as embodied in a preferred form of construction, it is to be understood that modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the mechanism without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. in a multi-unit machine embodying a stop-motion for each individual unit thereof, power-means for driving said units, mechanical means for actuating said stop-motions, means for connecting the power-means to drive said stop-motion actuating means, and automatically-operated control-means for disconnecting said powermeans from the stop-motion actuating means when power is cut off from the machine whereby to prevent premature actuation of the stop-motions when power is again applied to the machine.

2. In a machine comprising multiple operating units, power-driven means for operating said units in unison, a stop-motion at each individual unit, mechanically-operated means for actuating said stop-motions, means for connecting said actuating means for operation by the powendriven means of the machine, and control-means for automatically disconnecting said power-driven means from the stop-motion actuating means upon power failure.

3. In a textile machine comprising a plurality of spindles with winding-on units therefor, power-means for driving said units, a stop-motion for each unit, actuating means for said stop-motions, means for connecting said driving means to operate said stop-motion actuating means, and control-means for disconnecting the driving means from said stop-motion actuating means when the power for the driving means is shut off.

4. In a multiple spindle uptwister comprising a plurality of units, power-operated driving means for operating said units, a stop-motion for each unit, continuouslyoperated actuating means for said stop-motions, means to connect the driving means with said actuating means automatically-operated controldriving means from the acfailure in the machine, and

for the stop-motions, means for disconnecting the tuating means upon power '2 means operated by said control-means for holding the stop-motions inoperative for an interval when power is first applied to the machine.

5. In a control device for multi-unit machines having a stop-motion for each individual unit, a single actuating means for all of said stop-motions, power-operated means for driving said actuating means, control-means operative automatically upon power failure to disconnect the driving means from the actuating means for the several stopmotions, and means operative by said control-means to hold said stop-motions inoperative until reset when power is again applied to the machine.

6. In a machine comprising multiple units with common means for driving said units, a stop-motion for each unit, common actuating means for all of said stop-motions, means for connecting said driving means to operate said actuating means for the stop-motions, means for disconnecting the drive to said actuating means upon power failure in the machine, and means for manually reconnecting the driving means to the stop-motion actuating means after power has been re-applied to the machine.

7. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, power-driven means for operating said units, a stop-motion for each unit, a common actuating means for said stop-motions, means for driving said actuating means from the power means of the machine, means for disconnecting said driving means from the actuating means for the stop-motions upon power failure in the machine, and manually-operative means for reconnecting the driving means to the actuating means for the stop-motions after power has again been applied to the machine.

8. In a machine comprising a plurality of units, poweroperated means for simultaneously driving said units, a stop-motion for each unit, knock-off devices for actuating said stop-motions, means connecting said power-operated means for operating the actuating means for the knockoff devices, and means operated automatically upon power failure in the machine to disconnect said power-operated means from the actuating means for the knock-off means to permit restarting said units when power is again applied to the machine.

9. In a multiple spindle machine comprising a plurality of yarn-winding units with a stop-motion for each individual unit, actuating means for said stop-motions common to all the units, power-operated means for driving said units, means connecting said power-operated means to drive said actuating means for the stop-motions, means held by the yarns delivering to the units for maintaining said actuating means inoperative, and means operating automatically upon power failure in the machine to disconnect the driving means from the actuating means for the stop-motions.

10. In a multiple unit machine, means for winding on yarn at each unit of the machine, a stop-motion for each unit of the machine, a breakage-lever at each unit normally held by the yarn delivering to said unit and operative upon breakage or exhaustion of the yarn to initiate the operation of its respective stop-motion, poweroperated means for actuating the stop-motions upon indication of a breakage in the yarn or exhaustion of its supply, and means for disconnecting said power-operated means from the stop-motion actuating means upon power failure in the machine.

11. In a machine comprising multiple operating units, power-means for driving said units simultaneously, a stop-motion for each individual unit, actuating means for .said stop-motions, gearing for driving said actuating means from the power-means of the machine, and controlmeans operated automatically to disengage the driving means from said actuating means when power is cut off from the machine.

12. In a machine comprising multiple operating units, power-means for driving said units simultaneously, a stop-motion for each individual unit, actuating means for said stop-motions, a crank-motion for normally Op- Cit E3 erating said actuating means, means for operating the crank-motion from the driving means of the machine, and control-means for disconnecting the drive from said crank-motion upon power failure in the machine.

13. In a machine comprising multiple operating units, power-means for driving said units simultaneously, a stopmotion for each individual unit, oscillating means operative for actuating the stop-motions individually, means for connecting said oscillating means to the driving means for said units, and control-means for automatically disconnecting said oscillating means from the driving means upon power failure in the machine.

14. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, a common drive-shaft for operating said units, a. stop-motion at each unit for individually arresting its operation, a rocker-element for energizing said stopmotions, means driven from the drive-shaft of the machine for oscillating said rocker-element, and control-means for disconnecting the drive to the oscillating means upon power failure in the machine.

15. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, a common drive-shaft for operating said units, a stop-motion at each unit, a rocker-shaft common to all of said units, means for oscillating said rocker-shaft, gearing for connecting said oscillating means to the drive-shaft, an electromagnet for holding said gearing in connection, and control-means operative when said electromagnet is deenergized by power failure to disconnect said gearing from the drive-shaft.

16. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, a common drive-shaft for operating said units, a stop-motion at each unit, a common actuating means for said stop-motions, means for driving said actuating means, means for connecting said driving means with the driveshaft of the machine, a normal y energized electromagnet for maintaining the drive to said actuating means operative, and means operated from said electromagnet when deenergized by current failure in the machine to disconnect the drive from said actuating means.

17. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, an electric motor for driving said units, a powershaft driven by said motor, a stopmotion at each unit, common means for actuating said stop-motions individually, means driven by said powershaft to operate said actuating means, an electromagnet in circuit with the driving motor of the machine, and means operative by said electromagnet to maintain the drive from the powershaft to the stopmotion actuating means connected, said means being operative to disconnect said drive upon deenergization of the electromagnet due to interruption of the current in the motor-circuit.

18. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units, a common drive-shaft for said units, a stop-motion for each unit, common means for actuating said stop- I motions individually, a gear for driving said actuating means, an intermediate gear driven from the main driveshaft of the machine, an electromagnet in circuit with the driving motor of the machine, means operative by said electromagnet to normally hold the intermediate gear in mesh with the driving gear for the actuating means,

said last-named means being releasable upon deenergization of the electromagnet through failure of current in the motor-circuit, and means to disengage the intermediary gear from said driving gear for the actuating means when said holding means is released by the electromagnet.

19. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units with a drive-shaft common to all of said units and an electric motor for driving said drive-shaft, the combination of a stop-motion at each unit, common means for actuating said stop-motions individually, a gear for driving said actuating means, a gear on said drive-shaft, a member rockable about the axis of said drive-shaft, an intermediate gear carried by said rockable member in mesh with the gear on the drive-shaft, solenoid including a slidable armature, a link connecting said armature with said rockable member for normally holding the rockable member with said intermediate gear in mesh with said driving gear for the stop-motion actuating means, and a spring operative when said armature is released by the electromagnet due to power failure in the motor-circuit to pivot said rockable member and dis engage the intermediate gear from said driving gear for the stop-motion actuating means.

20. In a machine comprising a plurality of operating units with a drive-shaft common to all of said units and an electric motor for driving said drive-shaft, the combination of a stop-motion at each unit, common means for actuating said stop-motions individually, a gear for driving said actuating means, a gear on said drive-shaft, a member rockable about the axis of said drive-shaft, an intermediate gear carried by said rockable member in mesh With the gear on the drive-shaft, a solenoid including a slidable armature, a link connecting said armature to said rockable member for normally holding the latter With said intermediate gear in mesh with said driving gear for the stop pivoting sai mediate gea -motion actuating means, resilient means for d rockable member to disengage the interr from the gear for driving the stopmotion References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sloat June 9, 1914 Stone Jan. 12, 1932 Fankboner July 3, 1934 Cotchett Jan. 2,1940 Bradnack et al Aug. 1, 1944 

